At Home Stuff May 2, 2010

May 2, 2010

Today we begin a new virtue for the month of May.  This month's virtue is one that you can use over and over again.  It's probably one that will come back to you as parents some time or another in the next few days.  It's a virtue that many Americans just simply struggle with on a daily basis.  Are you ready to know what it is?  Are you sure? How about patience! 

Patience is waiting until later for what you want now. 

Bottom Line May 2:  If you don't wait is could cost you later. 

How true is that?  I bet you can look back over your life and come up with atleast one time in your life that you did something without waiting.  Patience is tough.  Especially when you really want something bad.  Share a story with your child this week about a time when you didn't wait or use patience.  It's important for your child to know that you wrestle with these same virtues in your life.  It also lets them know that they have to learn these virtues at some point in life, so why not now.

Our Bible story this week is about Esau in the Old Testament.  (Genesis 25:24-34)  Most times when people think about this story we always think about Jacob.  Well what about Esau?  Esau gave his birth right to Jacob because he was hungry.  What a man, right!  To trade a life long blessing for a bowl of soup.  How crazy is that?  Well, we've all done crazy things especially when we only live in the moment.  Let's practice patience!

Ask your kids in the car about this Bible story.  Take time to read it yourself so you know the right answers.  And take time this week to read it together as a family.  Remember God put your children in your life so that YOU can spirtiually influence their lives.  We're (First Baptist Church, Maryville) here to help!

Will you make a difference in the life of a child?

Waumba Land Stories from buckheadchurch on Vimeo.

APRIL Snapshot of Bible discussions

Got Your Back


Who's got your back? You know, the one you trust with your closest secrets. The one who'll tell you the truth, even if you don't particularly want to hear it. The one you can call in the middle of the night. Do you have a friend like that? Sure, we've all got neighbors, acquaintances, associates, co-workers, and maybe even pals and cronies. But how many can you count as true friends ...
... the mate who's there for you when the going gets tough?

... the ally in your corner who has your best interests at heart?

... the companion who genuinely enjoys your company?

... the comrade who seriously is a BFF?

By fifth grade, many kids have figured out on their own that "friends come and friends go," but they need someone to teach them "a true friend sticks by you like family" (Proverbs 18:24, THE MESSAGE). They need to know what a true friend is all about. And there's no better friend (or model of a friend) than Jesus. Which is why we'll be examining friendship, come April, through the lens of the Easter "story line." Specifically:

A true friend will love you no matter what. Jesus explains His crucifixion and resurrection to a couple of mates on the trek to Emmaus (Luke 24).

A true friend will help you believe. Jesus, ever the ally, makes a surprise appearance to help Thomas defeat his doubts (John 20).

A true friend will make time for you. Jesus makes breakfast on the beach for His fishing companions (John 21).

A true friend will always be your friend. Jesus returns to heaven but will always be our comrade (Acts 1; Matthew 28).

So, who's got your back? And just as important, whose back do YOU have?

If you would like to use this article in communication with parents and leaders in your church, feel free, so long as you (1) make no changes to the article, and (2) include the following credit line with the article: By Melanie Williams. © 2010 The reThink Group * www.rethinkgroup.org * All rights reserved. Used by permission

Virtue for March HONESTY

The Web


Have you ever seen the TV show Lie to Me? The Lightman Group (clever name, isn't it, since light = truth, biblically speaking), made up of psychologists, researchers, and investigators, assist law enforcement and other government agencies in criminal investigations by detecting signs of deception in people's voices, faces, and body language.

The premise behind it is simple and ordinary; the science complex and intriguing. Rather like honesty itself.

On the one hand, honesty is simple. It always involves a choice. We choose to tell the truth or to lie. Honesty is ordinary, too.  Because every one of us, from Adam and Eve to you and I, chooses to be honest or dishonest on a daily basis.

On the other hand, honesty (and therefore dishonesty) is complex and intriguing. You can be honest (or dishonest) in your words, actions, and attitudes. You can be honest (or dishonest) in what you don't say or do, as well. You can set out to lie, and you can go along with someone else's lie. And then there are the multitudes of motives for two-faced, duplicitous, and deceptive dealings.

So simple, honesty, but not always easy! Else no one would weave him- or herself into a tangled web in the first place. Which is why, come March, we'll be talking about honesty and some of the very practical reasons God teaches and guides us to be honest:

When you're not truthful, you hurt the people you should care about most. Joseph's brothers practiced so many forms of deceit in that whole sell-your-brother-as-a-slave episode you'll weave quite a web recounting them all. (Genesis 37; 45)

Lying to hurt someone else really hurts YOU. Haman's perfidious plot backfired on him. (Esther 3-5; 7)

Truthfulness builds friendships; dishonesty tears them down. Jesus gave even wee, little, fraudulent Zacchaeus a do-over. (Luke 19)

You can lie so much you forget what matters. Treacherous Judas forgot, or deceived himself, about what matters most. (Matthew 26; 27) Note that this week begins the Easter season and the Easter "story" in 252 Basics.

Honesty creates a safety net. Honest thoughts, words, and actions weave together to strengthen trusting, happy relationships with others and God.

Dishonesty creates a web. Lies and deception weave a web that ensnares us, tearing at the fabric of our relationships with others and God.

So, help kids be careful about what they weave.
 By Melanie Williams. © 2010 The reThink Group * www.rethinkgroup.org * All rights reserved. used by permission

Virtue Practice- Friendalicious!

This past Sunday we talked about the importance of telling others about Jesus.  Sundays, February 7 & 14 will be great days to put this discipline in action.  These are FRIENDALICIOUS Sundays!  Every child that brings a friend will get a smoothie for both kids.  Encourage and help your child participate.  This is a fun way to invite friends to church.

See You Sunday!

Sunday, January 24

Week of January 25- January 30

Virtue:  Discipline-  doing what you need to do NOW so you can grow stronger!

Bible Story:  Peter states who Jesus is  Matthew 16:13-17

Bottom Line:  If you want to know God better, talk about Him with your friends

Peter made a bold confession of what he thought about Jesus.  This month we have talked about reading the Bible, memorizing Scripture and prayer.  This week we talk about the discipline of telling people about Jesus.  This can be one of the most challenging things for believers to do.  But, when we do it can be one of the most rewarding.

How many times do your kids see you practicing one of  these disciplines.  I was talking to a couple of our men volunteers one day about their service.  You see, these guys serve on Sundays with kids and also perform in our KidzStuff LIVE drama team and are asked to do some pretty crazy things.  But when their kids are older I think they will remember those crazy things and know their dad wanted boys and girls to learn about the love of Jesus.

When was the last time you modeled one of those disciplines before your kids.  I think kids need to see us (parents) practice our disciplines.  Not as a formal lesson, but as our lifestyle.  This week how about picking up your Bible instead of the remote or memorize a Scripture verse and ask them to check you for accuracy.

Remember, what happens at home is just as important as what happens at church! 

January 2010 Snapshot!

Here is a snapshot of the entire month.  We are focusing on our five faith skills.

Less is more. We're fond of saying that around here. And much of the time, we're more effective living by it. But sometimes MORE is more. Want a voluminous vocabulary? Read more. Want to nail the lines for your part in a sketch? Rehearse more. Want to master the "Cha Cha Slide" (like for January's large group, grades 4-5)? Practice more. You get the drift. And just like you need to lift more if you want bigger biceps, you need to do some things more if you want to know God better, like:

Read His Book. Can you think of a more foundational, first-step way to get to know Him? Plus, "God has breathed life into all of Scripture. It is useful for teaching us what is true. It is useful for correcting our mistakes. It is useful for making our lives whole again. It is useful for training us to do what is right" (2 Timothy 3:16, NIrV). What better example of the importance of engaging in God's Word than Jesus as a 12-year-old in the temple? (Which happens to be the Bible story for week 1.)
Remember His words. "By using Scripture, a man of God can be completely prepared to do every good thing" (2 Timothy 3:17, NIrV). Jesus showed us (particularly that time He was tempted in the wilderness) we not only need to (Step 1) read God's Word, we need to (Step 2) memorize it, internalize it, and take it to heart so that we'll be ready for whatever comes our way.
Talk to Him. "Don't worry about anything. Instead, tell God about everything. Ask and pray. Give thanks to him" (Philippians 4:6, NIrV). To get to know someone and to strengthen your relationship with that person, you have to talk him or her, right? It's the same way with God. You gotta talk to Him. This week (week 3) will help kids better understand Jesus' answer when one of the disciples asked Him how to pray.
Talk about Him with your friends. "I pray that you will be active in sharing what you believe. Then you will completely understand every good thing we have in Christ" (Philemon 1:6, NIrV). Saying what you believe out loud helps solidify your beliefs. Could this be one reason Jesus asked the disciples, "But who do YOU say I am?" (The story for week 4.)
Make Him more important than anything. "Worship the Lord your God. He is the only one you should serve" (Deuteronomy 6:13a, NIrV). This week (week 5) we'll be taking a look at what Jesus said about "the widow's mite" and how it helps us to worship the only one we should serve.
These are all priorities and habits -- disciplines -- that can help us (A) get to know God better and (B) grow stronger. Kids need to understand that they don't have to wait till they're older to get to know God; God wants them to start now. He's ready to help them, every step of the way, NOW. So this January, 252 Basics is designed to help kids see how discipline, which is doing what you need to do now so you can grow stronger, can help strengthen their relationship with God.
But that's not all. Because SOMETIMES more IS more. So in addition to helping kids understand and experience discipline as a godly virtue, each week in January will also offer practical experiences in the 5 Faith Skills we think every kid should master:

1. Navigate the Bible (survey and locate)

2. Personalize Scripture (memorize and apply)

3. Dialogue with God (public and private)

4. Articulate faith (share and defend)

5. Worship with your life (praise and give)





If you would like to use this article in communication with parents and leaders at your church, feel free, so long as you (1) make no changes to the article, and (2) include the following credit line with the article: By Melanie Williams. © 2010 The reThink Group * www.rethinkgroup.org * All rights reserved. Used by permission.